VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

HOYA Corporation vs Paychex, Inc.

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

HOYA Corporation

7741 · Tokyo Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$8.3T
Gross margin (TTM)80.1%
Operating margin (TTM)29.5%
Net margin (TTM)23.5%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Instruments & Supplies
CountryJP
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
72/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into HOYA Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View 7741 analysis

Paychex, Inc.

PAYX · NASDAQ Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$39.4B
Gross margin (TTM)73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)37.1%
Net margin (TTM)26.5%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryStaffing & Employment Services
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-04
Moat score
66/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Paychex, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View PAYX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: HOYA Corporation leads (72 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Paychex, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: HOYA Corporation has 5 segments (48.2% in Eye Health Domain (healthcare-related products)); Paychex, Inc. has 3 segments (73% in Management Solutions).
  • Moat breadth: HOYA Corporation has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Paychex, Inc. has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

HOYA Corporation

Eye Health Domain (healthcare-related products)

Market

Ophthalmic products (eyeglass lenses, contact lens retail, intraocular lenses)

Geography

Global (eyeglass lenses & IOL); Japan (contact lens retail)

Customer

Optical retailers, consumers, hospitals/clinics

Role

Manufacturer and retailer

Revenue share

48.2%

Paychex, Inc.

Management Solutions

Market

Payroll processing and integrated HCM solutions for SMB and mid-market employers

Geography

United States (primarily)

Customer

Employers (SMB and mid-market)

Role

HCM SaaS + outsourced payroll/HR service provider

Revenue share

73%

Side-by-side metrics

HOYA Corporation
Paychex, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
7741 - Tokyo Stock Exchange
PAYX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$8.3T
$39.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
80.1%
73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
29.5%
37.1%
Net margin (TTM)
23.5%
26.5%
Sector
Healthcare
Industrials
Industry
Medical - Instruments & Supplies
Staffing & Employment Services
HQ country
JP
US
Primary segment
Eye Health Domain (healthcare-related products)
Management Solutions
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
72 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial
Last update
2025-12-28
2026-01-04

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Compliance Advantage

HOYA Corporation strengths

Brand TrustPhysical Network DensityReputation ReviewsDesign In QualificationLearning Curve YieldNiche speech synthesis portfolio

Paychex, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinSuite BundlingService Field NetworkUnderwriting Risk PoolingSwitching Costs GeneralFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

HOYA Corporation segments

Full profile >

Eye Health Domain (healthcare-related products)

Oligopoly

48.2%

Med-Tech Domain (medical-related products)

Oligopoly

15.4%

Electronics-related products (semiconductor/display photomask materials, HDD substrates)

Oligopoly

30.6%

Imaging-related products (optical lenses and optical materials)

Competitive

5.3%

Other (speech synthesis software)

Competitive

0.5%

Paychex, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Management Solutions

Oligopoly

73%

PEO and Insurance Solutions

Competitive

24.1%

Client funds float (interest on funds held for clients)

Oligopoly

2.9%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

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Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.